Tracy McGrady Is Joining the Atlanta Hawks, but Is He the Best Option?

Tracy McGrady has agreed to a one-year, veteran-minimum contract with the Atlanta Hawks, according to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith.

Atlanta had an obvious need for a shooting guard, but was McGrady their best option?

His signing all but puts an end to Jamal Crawford's tenure with the Hawks because with McGrady as an insurance policy, there is no need for the team to invest major money into the 31-year-old.

While Crawford may not have been the best option either due to his steep asking price, McGrady is a fraction of the athlete he used to be. He is no longer capable of vertical accolades and his knees are a huge question mark, as they make it difficult for him to run the floor.

Other notable free-agent shooting guards include Jason Richardson, Arron Afflalo, Shannon Brown, Nick Young and potentially Vince Carter. Most, if not all, of those players are poised to sign deals much larger than a veteran's minimum, but this is a case where Atlanta should have been spending a little more money.

Unless Atlanta plans to sign another shooting guard—unlikely—this is a move that hasn't safeguarded them against anything. Does McGrady plug a hole? Yes, but he doesn't fill it.

The team's status is up in the air with Joe Johnson possibly on the decline and Josh Smith's future in doubt. What the Hawks needed most out of their free-agency endeavors was some stability, and they have anything but that in McGrady, a 15-year veteran who has been hampered by injuries over the past few years.

Are the Hawks to be chastised for opting not to throw Crawford an overpriced contract? No, but slightly cheaper, and potentially just as effective options were certainly there in Richardson and Brown.

So, why McGrady? He is not going to put up 20 or more points per game anymore. He's not even going to be able to commit 20 minutes per game to the cause anymore.

It all comes down to dollars and cents.

Was McGrady the best option? No, but he was the cheapest. In a sense, McGrady was what the Hawks wanted, because he came cheap, but not needed, as he is no longer capable of making a significant impact.

Such a train of thought does not indicate that brighter days are ahead in Atlanta.

You can follow Dan Favale on Twitter here @Dan_Favale.